The sessions had ended on August 15. MUMBAI: As Mumbai’s autorickshaw and taxi drivers continue to oppose the Marathi mandate for them, state transport minister Pratap Sarnaik has extended the deadline for language training sessions to cover those who have not yet complied with the requirement.
Enforcement by the Regional Transport Offices (RTOS) will, however, continue. Drivers who fail to clear a spot language test conducted by flying squads must enrol in training workshops organised by the transport authorities. The language mandate, they say, could take away their livelihoods. We will also help run the Marathi training for drivers. Hence, extending the deadline was welcome. Training centres have been identified in Mumbai, Thane, Bhiwandi, Nalasopara, Vasai-Virar and Navi Mumbai. The RTO will soon announce a contact number to provide information about these centres.”
On Tuesday, Sarnaik said drivers who had not enrolled for training have an additional three months to acquire a working knowledge of Marathi, according to the amended Motor Vehicle Rules, 1989. around 60% of Mumbai’s auto and taxi drivers are North Indian and are not conversant in Marathi While the Marathi mandate covers drivers across Maharashtra. Only 165,000 drivers had signed up for training.
Welcoming the extension of the training deadline, Mumbai Autorickshaw-Taximen’s Union president and BJP leader Shashank Rao said, “As of now, the RTO will only issue notices and will not penalise the drivers. Rao said there are hundreds of thousands of auto and taxi drivers in the Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR). Sarnaik said, “We will continue Marathi training through the Konkan Marathi Sahitya Parishad and the Mumbai Marathi Sahitya Sangh.
The minister’s announcement came after a meeting with autorickshaw and taxi union leaders on Tuesday, a day after autos in Mumbai went off the streets in a spontaneous protest against the language mandate.
“This is a government that creates employment, not one that takes away employment.
He claimed drivers have “expressed respect for Maharashtra’s culture and identity”. People should not believe rumours,” the minister said.
